12th
July, 2004 - Palma, Majorca
I'll
be sharing some of the highlights from the cruise over the next
few weeks. In case anyone is thinking of visiting Mediterranean
ports of call, I'll also be including photos, information and
points of interest (I accept cash, credit card, paypal.... ;)
The first stop was Palma, the capital of the beautiful Balearic
islands - a sunny, seductive mix of old-world charm and cosmopolitan
chic. We didn't get much time to explore Palma as the ship was
leaving in 2 hours, but we managed to take the bus to the maginificent
Le Seu Cathedral, a gothic monument that dominates the view from
the harbour.
The
first thing that struck me about the public transportation was
that was that each and every bus was a Mercedes Benz:
To top it off, the fare was cheaper than taking the TTC
(EUR 1.10, or about CAD $ 1.80 per person).
The Line 1 bus picked us up right at the port and we got off about
15 minutes away, where we strolled through cobble-stoned streets,
ancient courtyards and beautiful gardens. We stepped into
Plaza de Sa Llonja to view an art exhibition, but what struck
me most was the building itself. Giant pillars, giant windows.
Nothing like ancient, towering walls to make you feel small, humbled,
transient and very......"new"!
I would have loved to sit under the shade of the tall, lush trees
that lined the side walk cafes, sip cappuccino at one of the elegant
tables and watch the world go by (OK, so the waiters were really
cute!). Instead, I settled for an ice cream and let me tell ya,
I was one very happy tourist! "Caramelo" never tasted
so good (or maybe it was the way the "Carrrrrra" rolled
off the vendor's tongue. I could have just stood there and listened
to him list all 42 flavours..........that is, until I felt my
husband's elbow dig into me).
I boarded the bus back with sticky fingers, content with my little
taste of Palma, but wishing I had the time to visit The Castell
de Belver (on a hilltop, overlooking the bay) or The Moorish Almundaina
Palace. More reason to come back - and next time I planned to
splash about the Magalluf water park, hit the designer shops and
visit the Caves of Drach.
Click here for more
photos of Palma.
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General
Info:
Palma has been a regular port of call since the Phoenician times.
Civilizations including the Romans and the Moors have settled here,
and their influence can be detected in Majorcan architecture.
By 1492, Majorca had become part of Spain, although it's isolation
form the mainland meant constant threats from pirates (hence the
many watch towers and fortified churches across the island).
Official languages include Catalan and Spanish, although English
is widely spoken in the main tourist areas. The unit of currency
is the Euro.
Popular purchases in Palma include glassware, leather goods and
items carved from olivewood. Shops are generally open from 9 am
to 1.30pm, and from 4.30pm to 8 pm. El Cortes Ingles department
stores are open Mon-Sat from 10am to 9pm.